The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-03

But Mr.. Sleight had overlooked the log.
ical effect Of this discovery ON the natural
villainy of his tool In the very moment
Of his triumphant execution of his pa
irons suggestion the idea of keeping the
treasure to himself flashed upon his mind.
He had discovered it-why should he give
it up to anybody He had run all the
risks; II he were detected At that moment
who would believe that his purpose there
at midnight was only to satisfy some one
else that the treasure was still intact?
No. The circumstances were propitious;
he would get the treasure out Of the ship
at once, drop it over her side, hastily con-
ceal It in the nearest lot adjacent, and
take it away at his convenience. Who
would be the wiser for it,
But 1t was necessary to reconnoiter first.
He knew that the loft overhead was
empty He knew that II communicated
with the alley, for he had tried the door
that morning. He would convey the
treasure there and drop it into the alley.
The boxes were heavy Each one would
require a separate journey to the ships
side, but he would At least secure some
thing II he were interrupted. He stripped
the casing and gathered the boxes together
In pile.
All, yes, II was funny too that he--the
Lascar hOund--the ID nigger-should
get what bigger and butler men than he
had died forl The mates blood was on
those boxes, IL the salt water had not
washed 1t out II was . hell OF fight
when they dragged the captain---Oh,
what was THAR Was it the splash of rat
in the bilge, or WHAT
superstitious terror had begun TO
seize him at the thought of blood The
sitting hold seemed again filed with
struggling figures he had known; the air
thick with cries and blasphemes that he
had forgotten. He rose to his feet, and,
running quickly to the hatchway, leaped
to the deck above. All was quiet. The
door leading TO the empty loft yielded to
his touch He entered, and gliding
through, unbarred and opened the door
that gave upon the alley. The cold air
and moonlight flowed in silently; the way
Of escape was clear. Bah! He would 60
back for the treasure.
He had reached the passage when the
door he had just opened was suddenly
darkened. Turning rapidly, he was con-
scious of gaunt figure, grotesque, silent,
and erect, looming on the threshold be-
tween him and the sky. Hidden in the
shadow, he made a stealthy step towards
it, with an iron wrench in his uplifted
hand. But the next moment his eyes di-
lated with superstitious horror; the iron
fell from his hand, and with scream,
like frightened animal, he turned and
fled into the passage. In the first access
of his blind terror he tried to reach the
deck above through the forehatch, but
was stopped by the sound of a heavy tread
overhead. The immediate fear Of detec-
ton now Overcame his superstition; he
would have even faced the apparition
again to escape through the loft; but, be-
fore he could return there, other foot
steps approached rapidly from the end
OF the passage he would have to trav-
erse There was but one chance Of escape
left now-the forehold he had just quit
ted. He might hide there until the alarm
was over He glided back to the hatch,
lifted it, and it closed softly over his head
as the upper hatch was simultaneously
raised, and the small round eyes Of Abner
Mott peered down upon it. The other
footsteps proved to be Renshaw's, but,
attracted by the open door of the loft, he
turned aside and entered As soon as he
disappeared Mr.. Mott cautiously dropped
through the opening to the deck below,
and, going to the other hatch through
which the Lascar had vanished, deliber-
ately refastened it, In n few moments
Renshaw returned with lighs and found
the old man sitting on the hatch.
"The loft door was open," said Rem
shaw. There's little doubt whoever was
here escaped that way"